Cultivator.



G" E. SPRAGUE.

GULTIVATOR. 7 APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1909. 966,260, Patented Aug. 2,1910.

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CULTIVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 2, 1910;

Application filed November 4, 1909.

Serial No. 526,303.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. SPRAGUE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Champaign, in the county of Champaign, State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cultivators; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a cultivator attachment and more particularlyto the class of attachment for riding cultivators.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a cultivatorattachment in which falling plants may be brought to upright positionduring the cultivation of the soil between the rows of plants.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an attachment ofthis character in which the loose soil from the cultivator Will becaused to fill in around the plants of a row during the advancement ofthe machine through a field of growing plants.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of anattachment which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable andefficient in operation, and inexpensive in the manufacture.

With these and other objects inview, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, which disclose the preferred form of embodiment of theinvention, to enable those skilled in the art to carry the same intopractice, and as pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a top plan view of a cultivator with theattachment applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 5 designates an axle of anysuitable construction of the cultivator frame although preferably it isof arch shape at its center as usual and provided with supporting wheels6, and suitable draft attachments such as poles 7, which are connectedto the arch of the axle and these poles support the usual riding seat 8to be occupied by the operator. It is to be understood however, that theinvention as herein set forth is not limited to employment with anyparticular kind of frame but is generally adaptable.

Suitably connected with the terminals of the axle 5, carrying thesupporting wheel 6, are pivotal cultivator beams 9, the same extendinghorizontally and rearwardly from the end portions of said axle and soconnected therewith preferably as to permit independent vertical andlateral swing of each beam. These beams 9 support in the usual mannercultivator shares or blades 10, so as to straddle the row of standingplants in a field to operate upon the soil at opposite sides thereof sothat they will always leave the surface of the soil in proper condition.

Depending centrally from the arch of the axle 5, is a stem 11, to whichlatter is loosely connected an arm 12, the same being formed at one endwith a sleeve 13, surrounding the stem, while the opposite end of thisarm is formed with a right angular depending stud 14:, the latter beingloosely surrounded by a casting forming a collar 15, and a vertical ear16, the same containing a suitable opening for receiving and theattachment to the ear of a plant straddling frame, which will behereinafter more fully described. This straddling frame comprises spacedparallel runners 17 the forward extremities of which are formed withoutwardly diverging portions 18, the same being integral with a verticalinverted U-shaped yoke 19, having a central offset portion 20, engagedin the opening of the ear 16, of the casting, and these runners 17,extend rearwardly of the frame and are disposed horizontally at oppositesides of a row of stalks or standing plants. The free ends of therunners are provided with upwardly curved terminals 21, which latter areadapted to engage a falling plant to raise the same and bring it toerect position as the cultivator is being advanced through a field forcultivating the at its free ends and an'inverted U-shaped 10 soil atopposite sides of the standing row of yoke integral with the o positeends thereof. plants. In testnnony whereof I aflix my signafihat isIglaimed is :h ture, in presence of two Witnesses.

1e com ination Wit a cultivator of a frame loosely connected centrallyto tlie cul- GEORGE SPRAGUE tivator and extending rearwardly thereof,the said frame comprising spaced parallel runners having upwardly curvedterminals Witnesses:

FRANK T. BEAVER, JAMES N. ARMSTRONG.

